Indelible Memory
by Touka-Chan
Summary: Matthew has set out to find Gilbert and leave the only home that he has known. Ready to give up, Gilbert finds Matthew. There is only one problem... Gilbert has no memory of being Prussia. Matthew must gather all his courage to make this stranger remember the life that he used to know. Will Matthew get his happily ever after?


**AN: Hey readers! For those who don't know this is the sequel to my story "Forever and Always" so read that one first! See you at the end of the Story! I don't own hetalia only the story!**

Indelible memory

_An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break..._

* * *

It had been three years and eight different towns since that day and still nothing.

Well not exactly nothing. Little by little, Matthew's memories of Canada were coming back to him.

However, that did not matter. They were not the things Matthew was looking for. What he wanted was to find Gilbert.

Matthew sighed as he made his way into a public library. "Gilbert where are you?"

Without looking at the other books Matthew's feet, seemingly on their own, made their way into the history section. Throughout the years, Matthew had always found refuge in any library that he could come across. After a while, he noticed that the history section was always the quietest. Matthew grabbed a random atlas off the shelf and leafed through it, his eyes instantly landing on the country of Prussia. Matthew smiled; it was rare to find an atlas that still showed Prussia.

"Wow, this one actually has Prussia in it! That's totally awesome!" A voice exclaimed behind Matthew.

Matthew jumped at the voice and spun around to see a boy with snow-white hair and dark red eyes.

"Sorry if I startled you! I just think that Prussia is awesome!" the boy said, his eyes gleaming as his eyes roamed over the page.

Matthew stared at the boy in utter shock. Gilbert was standing right in front of him.

"Um...uh...are you Gilbert?" Matthew stuttered.

"Yup that's me! Do I know you?"

"Um...no I mean, yes...well no." Matthew answered his face turning red.

"Well which is it?" Gilbert asked good-naturedly.

"You used to know me but then something happened...and well, I don't know if you do anymore..." Matthew tried to explain.

"Try me! Maybe I will remember your name."

"Um...Matthew."

Gilbert's face flashed with recognition but it was soon replaced with a frown. "Damn. I thought I had it...sorry."

Matthew's face fell in disappointment. "How about Canada?"

Gilbert looked confused, "you mean the country?"

"No! Do you remember me as the personification of Canada?"

Gilbert frowned, "um, no."

Matthew's shoulders slumped and he slouched in his chair. "I guess I can't expect you to remember something like that..."

"Well it was nice meeting you but my friends are here! Sorry that I couldn't remember you!" Gilbert replied as he walked off.

Matthew didn't try to stop him, he felt too discouraged. He watched as Gilbert met up with his two friends and then left.

"He seems happy with his life now..." Matthew thought. "Why should I change it...?"

Then he remembered Prussia's face before the mirror shattered. He had never given up on trying to find Canada. So why should he give up on trying to find Gilbert.

Matthew pushed back his chair and ran out the library door with new determination.

"I just have to make him remember!"

* * *

Matthew waited until Gilbert and his friends had turned the corner before he ran out of the library to follow them. He didn't really have another plan and he didn't know what he was going to do when he caught up to them.

"I hope he doesn't think that I am a stocker..." Matthew thought, his cheeks turning pink.

He turned the corner and stopped. He swivelled his head right and left, his eyes scanning the crowd frantically.

"No... I just found him! Don't tell me I lost him already!" Matthew thought frantically until he glimpsed white hair.

Sighing with relief, he ran forward keeping the white hair in his sight. When he finally caught up, he grabbed onto Gilbert's sleeve and tried to catch his breath.

"Gil I have something to tell you!" Matthew gasped.

"My name isn't Gil son."

Matthew looked up surprised into the face of an old man. He had the same white hair as Gilbert but his eyes were old and wise, definitely not Gilbert's.

"Oh, I'm so sorry sir! I thought you were someone else!" Matthew apologised.

The old man laughed. "That's alright young man! However, you had better hurry home. The streets aren't safe at night."

"Alright, thanks sir." Matthew nodded.

When the old man continued on his way, Matthew walked into a back alley and leaned against the wall of a building filled with graffiti. Trying to hold back the frustrated tears that threatened to spill over Matthew thought of how he was going to find Gilbert again.

"How did Gilbert find me...?" thought Matthew.

The mirror flashed through Matthew's mind,

"That's right, the mirror!" Matthew thought, and then remembered, "But it was broken..."

Matthew finally let his tears slide down his cheeks. Feeling hopeless, he didn't hear the footsteps coming closer.

"Hey kid! Didn't anybody tell you that it's not safe to wander alone at night?" a voice sneered.

Matthew looked up surprised. Towering over him was a boy with piercings and tattoos all over his body. Two boys laughed behind him and Matthew knew that he was in trouble. His ice ran cold and he felt sweat start to run down his back. Matthew glared, he was not about to let these bullies scare him.

"What do you hosers want?" Matthew snarled.

The leader of the gang looked surprised then he laughed.

"I think we got a tough one here guys!"

The three boys started surrounding Matthew.

"Okay...now what?" Matthew thought frantically when he heard more footsteps running towards them. "I can't fight all of them at once."

"Hey losers, why don't you go pick on someone your own size?"

Gilbert stood with his arms crossed in front of him and a cocky grin on his face. Matthew held back a groan.

"I appreciate the help Gilbert but-"Matthew tried to explain when Gilbert cut him off.

"You can't fight all of them at once. You can let other people help you know!" Gilbert said as he suddenly ran forward and punched the guy closest to him in the jaw.

Matthew didn't hesitate after that. He lurched forward looking like he was going to punch the leader when he spun around behind him and kicked the back of his knees sending the boy sprawling forward, smacking his head on the brick wall.

Matthew looked to the next two and found them taking turns punching Gilbert.

Matthew sighed and thought sarcastically, "my knight in shining armour. This is almost as bad as when he was getting beat up by Miss Hungary."

Matthew looked around and found a metal bar behind some trashcans. He picked it up and ran towards the boys. Using the momentum from running, Matthew swung the bar making a loud crack as it hit both boys in the back of the head.

Gilbert ran to Matthew's side rubbing his side and wincing. Out of the corner of his eye, Matthew saw the leader of the gang getting up off the ground.

"Let's get out of here." Matthew suggested as he grabbed Gilbert's wrist and started running.

When they had run two blocks Gilbert gasped, "Turn here!"

Matthew turned into a yard; Gilbert pulled him into the house, slammed the door and locked it. Both boys gasped for air when they heard a voice call from somewhere in the house.

"Gilbert is that you?"

"Yeah Fritz, it's just me." Gilbert called back then turned to Matthew, "he's my foster dad and he is going to kill me when he finds out I was in a fight."

"Where have you been? You had me worried!" Fritz said sternly as he came into view. His eyes widened in surprise. "Aren't you that boy from earlier?"

Matthew fidgeted, "Yeah that was me, nice to see you again."

"Wait, you two know each other?" Gilbert asked pointing to Fritz then Matthew.

"We met briefly on the street." Matthew explained.

"And you probably saved Gilbert's butt afterwards." Fritz said amused.

"How did you know I was in a fight?" Gilbert said, his voice going into a higher pitch.

"You swollen jaw is a clue." Fritz turned to Matthew. "Thank you for saving my boy. Can I give you a ride home? Your parents must be worried."

Matthew froze; he didn't know how to answer this question. His parents had left him years ago and he had never seen them since. He was also very far from his home, if he could still call it that.

"I... I mean... I don't have any parents... or a home." Matthew stuttered.

Gilbert and Fritz looked at him surprised.

"Well I guess you can stay here for the night and we can figure things out in the morning." Fritz replied.

"No I can't do that! I'm fine, I'm used to being alone." Matthew protested.

Gilbert ha a confused look on his face, like he was trying hard to remember something. Then he shook his head and the look was replaced with a smile.

"Don't worry he does this kind of thing all the time!"

Matthew grew flustered. "Well...okay if it doesn't cause you any trouble."

Fritz laughed, "I don't think that you will be more trouble than Gilbert!"

* * *

Matthew yawned as he pulled the blanket over his chin. He was sleeping on the floor while Gilbert tossed and turned on the bed trying to get comfortable. Finally, Gilbert stopped moving and the room was silent.

"Hey Matthew?" Gilbert whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Where did you learn to fight?"

Matthew stifled a giggle. "You really want to know?"

"Of course I do!"

"Well there wasn't much to do after my parents left so I read a lot. My favourite stories were the ones about ninjas..." Matthew trailed off.

"And..." Gilbert encouraged Matthew to continue.

"And I wanted to fight just like them so I started practicing." Matthew finished slightly embarrassed.

Gilbert laughed. "I can just see you challenging the boxes in your attic to fight!"

Matthew sat up in surprise. "What did you just say?"

Gilbert looked at Matthew with a blank look then frowned and shook his head.

"I don't know..." Gilbert smiled at Matthew sheepishly. "I don't know why I said that."

Matthew sighed, "So you don't remember..."

Gilbert looked at the boy on the floor. "You really want me to remember something don't you? It must be important because you keep bringing it up."

Matthew didn't reply; instead, he curled up into a ball and pretended to sleep. He could hear Gilbert sigh and roll over again on his bed.

"Is it all right if I call you my first friend?" Matthew whispered repeating the words that Prussia had said to him three years ago.

The room remained silent. Then Gilbert whispered back half asleep, "That would be nice...Birdie..."

* * *

"I feel kind of bad..." Gilbert admitted as he and Matthew stood in front of Gilbert's school.

"For what?" Matthew asked.

"Well I have to leave you all alone all day."

"I'll be fine!" Matthew started but was cut off by a voice behind him.

"Hello Gilbert!" a girl with long brown hair and emerald eyes came up behind Matthew.

Gilbert's face instantly turned red and he stuttered, "H...hi Elizabeta...t...this is M...Matthew. Matthew this is Elizabeta!"

Matthew looked from Gilbert to Elizabeta. He knew that something was going on between them but he decided to ask Gilbert about it later.

Matthew smiled and held out his hand for Elizabeta to shake. "It's nice to meet you!"

"And you as well!" Elizabeta answered. "But we better be going!"

Matthew nodded, "You two have fun!"

"Y-yeah and you stay out of trouble." Gilbert stuttered sneaking side glances at Elizabeta.

Matthew watched the two walk off feeling somewhat sad.

"He isn't Prussia anymore. He is a different person now... living a different life." Matthew turned to walk back to Gilbert's house. "But no matter what I can't forget Prussia's last wish. I have to make him remember."

* * *

The rain poured down soaking Matthew. Lightning flashed and Matthew knew he should probably get out of the rain but he didn't want to miss Gilbert, school had only been out for five minutes.

Lost in thought Matthew jumped when the rain suddenly stopped. He looked up to see Elizabeta holding an umbrella over the both of them.

"You shouldn't stand out here in the rain or you will get sick!" she laughed. "Come with me and we'll get you dried off."

Matthew had followed Elizabeta into the school and into an empty classroom. She took a towel out of her bag and started drying off his hair.

"You keep a towel in your bag?" Matthew asked surprised.

"I'm on the swim team so I swim every morning!" Elizabeta replied. "So why were you outside? I don't know if you noticed but its pouring out there."

Matthew fidgeted, "I was waiting for Gilbert... and I didn't want to go inside because I was afraid that he would leave without me."

The room had gone quiet. Lighting flashed and the thunder boomed before Elizabeta broke the silence.

"Could you do me a favour...?"

"I guess... I mean if I'm able to." Matthew replied wondering where this was going.

Elizabeta took a deep breath before continuing. "I know that Gilbert has feelings for me but the thing is... I already have a boyfriend. Would you be able to break the news to him?"

This time Matthew had gone quiet. He had remembered how Gil had reacted when Elizabeta showed up. What would happen if Matthew told him that she already had a boyfriend?"

"Matthew?" Elizabeta asked.

"Yeah... I can do that..."

* * *

The rain had almost stopped by the time Matthew made it outside again. But he didn't notice. Emotions swirled in the pit of his stomach making it clench and he didn't know what to do about it. Even though Elizabeta wasn't interested in Gilbert, it still hurt Matthew to think about telling him.

Lost in his thoughts Matthew almost didn't notice when Gilbert walked up to him and put his umbrella over his head.

"I really have to take care of you don't I?" Gilbert said with a gentle smile on his face.

Matthew couldn't meet his eyes. "Sorry..."

Gilbert frowned, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing..."

Gilbert smiled jokingly. "Did you fall in love?"

Matthew's head jerked up and his face turned pink. When his eyes caught Gilbert's he looked back down. "Maybe..."

Gilbert's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, I was just joking! But if you are in love then why are you so upset?"

"I'm upset because I have to give that person some really bad news..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well... the person likes someone else but the person they like already has a boyfriend...and they want me to break the news to them..."

"That's kinda complicated." Gilbert replied thinking. "But maybe this is your big chance!"

"For what?" Matthew asked confused.

"Well since that the person that you love will be broken hearted you will have an opportunity to get them to fall in love with you."

Matthew stared at Gilbert in shock. "Why would I do that?! I could never be that cruel! How could you even suggest that?"

Gilbert put his hands up in surrender. "Sorry! I just thought that that could be a silver lin..." Gilbert trailed off.

Matthew looked up and realised that Gilbert was looking over his shoulder, a confused and sad expression on his face. Matthew turned around and saw Elizabeta talking to a boy who he presumed to be her boyfriend. Elizabeta laughed and gave the boy a quick kiss before they walked off holding hands. Matthew spun around to face Gilbert.

Gilbert still had the hurt look on his face. "Matthew...were you talking about... I should have known..."

Without another word, Gilbert slowly backed away and started to walk away, leaving Matthew to hurry after him.

* * *

"Gilbert... I-I'm sorry! But you have to hear me out!" Matthew stuttered.

"Why do you keep following me?!" Gilbert demanded.

"Because I have to make you remember!" Matthew tried to explain.

"Remember what? As far as I can remember I have never seen you in my life!"

"Well you haven't... at least not in this life." Matthew tried again.

"Then leave me alone!" Gilbert yelled.

Matthew looked shocked at his yelling. Looking down at the ground, he whispered, "But I have to make you remember..."

Without another word, Gilbert turned around and started walking across the street. He was so angry and frustrated that he didn't see the oncoming vehicle. Tires squealed on the pavement as they tried to stop and Gilbert felt himself get hit by a powerful force. He hit the pavement and images flooded his mind instantly.

In one, he was sitting at a table with a blonde man having a beer. In another, he was laughing with a man with brown hair and green eyes and a man with long blonde hair. One memory in particular made Gilbert gasp as he watched himself eat pancakes with maple syrup. Memories of a different life continued to play before his eyes as he slowly sat up and looked back.

Matthew lay on the pavement, a dark puddle of blood beneath him. Gilbert was at his side immediately. Blood dripped from Matthew's nose and mouth staining his red hoody a darker red.

"Are you alright?" Matthew asked.

"Why the hell are you asking me if I'm alright?! You're the one who's bleeding Birdie!" Gilbert yelled.

Matthew's eyes widened in surprise, "You called me Birdie!"

Gilbert smiled as tears ran down his cheeks. "Damn right I did, cause I'm the awesome Prussia!"

A tear streaked down Matthew's cheek as he coughed up more blood. He smiled softly and whispered, "Good... I'm glad that... you finally remembered..."  
"I can't believe that I couldn't remember something that was so important to me!" Gilbert admitted.

"_Is this enough?_" Matthew thought. "_Is this what you wanted Prussia? It's been so long since that time in the attic... I can't remember anymore. Everything is going fuzzy and I just want to close my eyes and sleep. But I don't want this to end! I want to stay with Gilbert! Please let me stay with him!"_

Matthew coughed and took a shallow breath. "_I want to stay by his side... forever and ever..."_

Matthew's eyes slowly closed as he went limp in Gilbert's arms. A groan came from Gilbert as he held back a sob.

_"_Hey Birdie, if you are listening... I want you to know that I love you. Your smile, the way you always hum when you make pancakes, the faraway look you get when you stare up into the sky...everything... I love everything about you. Please... please don't leave me alone again!" Gilbert finally let out a strangled sob as he clutched Matthew to his chest.

* * *

"_I can't believe it's already been two months..._" Gilbert thought absently as he walked home from school.

Gilbert tried not to think about that day but sometimes the thoughts would just creep up on him.

His thoughts were interrupted though when he heard yowling coming from an alley. Curious, Gilbert looked into the alley and saw the two cats cornering a younger one.

"Hey leave him alone!" Gilbert yelled, shooing the cats away.

The two cats hissed but ran off down the alley. When the cats were gone, Gilbert walked over and kneeled by the tiny feline. Its fur was the color of wheat and its sapphire blue eyes looked into Gilbert's red ones. The cat seemed familiar in a way Gilbert couldn't place.

"Well...take care of yourself cat." Gilbert said shaking his head as he stood up and started walking home again.

The cat meowed so quietly that it almost sounded like a familiar whisper.

Gilbert looked back, "If you think that I am going to take care of you you are wrong!"

The cat cocked his head to the side and meowed softly again.

"You know you don't have to stay here. You can go wherever you want. You don't even have anyone to leave you behind..."

The cat looked up at Gilbert. Its eyes seemed to try to tell him something. Again, Gilbert felt the feeling of familiarity towards the cat.

"I really do have to look after you don't I?" Gilbert asked. "I also can't keep calling you cat so how about I call you...Birdie?"

The cat meowed again and jumped into Gilbert's arms making him laugh.

"Well on the way home I'll tell you a story... it's kind of bitter sweet... but I think that you will like it."

Birdie purred into Gilbert's ear as he started walking for home again.

"It's about a boy who seemed to live in a world full of forgotten things..."

**AN: Why do I make myself feel this feels...**

**Anywho... I will be starting my new series soon called "Game of Shadows"! I hope that you will read and enjoy it!**

**Please Review!**


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